Amazon.com is in touch with CEOs of two companies that produce coronavirus tests about plans to screen workers to reduce the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks at its warehouses, Reuters reports, citing leaked internal meeting notes.
Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer, and has become an essential distributor of critical medical supplies in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Amazon is also rolling out face masks and temperature checks for workers at all its U.S. and European warehouses by next week.
The chief executives of Abbott Laboratories and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc have told Amazon they would like to work with the e-commerce company, though the U.S. government is taking up all of their testing capacity at present, the notes said.
The company also discussed whether it could start such tests in at least one warehouse near its Seattle headquarters, the status of which was unclear. The nature of Amazon’s conversations with the test makers and the exact assistance they might offer were unclear.
The document separately indicated Amazon is looking into the ability to screen more than one person at a time for the virus, and it also wants to partner with a medical organization in its testing efforts. It did not give further details on multi-person testing or name a partner.
In a statement on Saturday, Abbott Laboratories confirmed it has been contacted by Amazon and other companies to provide testing for their workforces.
No comment from Thermo Fisher or Amazon.
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Exclusive: Amazon in contact with coronavirus test makers for potential screenings on employees
[Jeffrey Dastin, Krystal Hu]
